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Harvesting
Harvesting in Saskatchewan weeks behind schedule
Aug. 27, 2009 -Regina -Growers in Saskatchewan have begun to harvest but progress is still slow compared to years past, and concerns are they may run into frost damage in the next few weeks.
August 28, 2009 By Sasktoon StarPhoenix
August 27, 2009
Neil Scott
REGINA —Harvesting in Saskatchewan is now two-to-three weeks behind schedule and concerns are mounting that an early frost could cause major damage.
Data released Thursday by Saskatchewan Agriculture indicates only three per cent of the crop had been combined, by the end of the Aug. 18 to 24 period.
The five-year average for that period is to have 16 per cent of the crop combined.
Grant McLean, a spokesperson for Saskatchewan Agriculture, said harvest was slowed last week by spots of rain in various locations. The three per cent grand total for combined crop for this year represented only a modest two per cent increase from one per cent the previous week.
But weather forecasts, indicating that warmer, sunnier weather could be on the way over the next several days provides hope that farmers will be able to make up some lost time, McLean said.
Concerns regarding frost but not moisture